Harmanpreet, Smriti Mandhana lead India’s strong 15-member squad for T20 World Cup
The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced India’s squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup on August 27, Tuesday.
The Women’s Selection Committee picked India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC tournament, set to be held in the United Arab Emirates. The ninth edition of the tournament will be contested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from the 3rd to the 20th of October in Dubai and Sharjah. India are in Group A along with Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Senior pros Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana have been named in the leadership group of the team. The team also includes the likes of Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatiya and Renuka Singh. Spinner Asha Sobhana, who made her name in the Women’s Premier League, finds a spot in the 15-member squad.
The release further mentions that two key players for India – Yastika Bhatiya and Shreyanka Patil are currently injured and their availability for the tournament will depend on their fitness status.
India’s squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024
Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Yastika Bhatia (wk)*, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil*, Sajana Sajeevan.
*Subject to fitness clearance
Travelling Reserves: Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Saima Thakor
Non-Travelling Reserves: Raghvi Bist, Priya Mishra
Presenting #TeamIndia’s squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 🙌 #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/KetQXVsVLX — BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) August 27, 2024
The 23 matches in the tournament will take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai and Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah. Dubai will host the first semi-final on October 17 followed by the second semis on October 18. There is a reserve day for both semi-finals and the final.
The grand final will take place on October 20 in Dubai. Harmanpreet Kaur’s India will face Fatima Sana’s Pakistan in the marquee clash on October 6 in Dubai. India will also face New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Dubai on October 4 and 9 respectively.
India’s last and final league match against Australia on October 13 will take place in Sharjah. If India advances to the semis, they will feature in the first semi-final in Dubai.